Protect your environment

Invasive non-native plant species are a threat to native wildlife in the UK. Help us track them down.

The Environment Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage, Natural Resources Wales and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency have joined forces to help combat the spread of the UK’s most problematic invasive, non-native plant species.

These plants are spreading quickly across the UK. They displace native species and detrimentally affect the ecology of many vulnerable habitats. Some also pose a considerable threat to human health. These plants also present a large financial cost to the UK economy with the annual cost of all invasive, non-native species totalling some £2 billion.

The first step in tackling this problem is accurately determining where these plants are. In order to do that, we need your help! Please use this app to help us to build a comprehensive picture of the UK’s invasive, non-native plant species.

Download the app

The PlantTracker app, available free from the iTunes App Store and Android Market, shows you how to identify each species and enables you to easily submit geo-located photos whenever you find one. It features 18 invasive plant species and includes a gallery for each one, to help you separate similar looking plants you might encounter.